


In With The New

by Dreamin



Category: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Pride and Prejudice (2005), Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Married Couple, New Year's Eve, Older Man/Younger Woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: The new year brings new life for Mary and Leland.
Relationships: Mary Bennet/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	In With The New

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).



> Inspired by a prompt from afteriwake. She gave me the option of Regency Era or modern, I went with Regency Era.

Mary leaned her head on Leland’s shoulder, sighing quietly. They were almost at Longbourn and she was absolutely dreading it. _It’s not that I hate my family, far from it, but every time Mama and I are in the same room, she asks when I’m going to give Leland an heir. It’s been over a year since we were wed and, as Mama never fails to remind me, Lizzie and Jane were both pregnant before their first anniversaries._

_It’s not as if we haven’t tried,_ she thought, her cheeks warming at all the times she and her husband had made love in the time they’d been married. _Leland finishes every time, so the potential to conceive is always there. I just don’t know what else we can do._

“Is it your mother again?” he murmured.

She nodded against his shoulder. “I know exactly how this visit is going to go – Mama will ask if I’m expecting, I’ll say no, she’ll ask what we’re doing wrong, I’ll say nothing, then she’ll go on and on about how you need an heir and she wants more grandchildren.”

“We could always bypass Longbourn and go straight to Netherfield, Jane and Charles won’t mind.” The smile in his voice made her smile in return.

“We could, but then we’d never hear the end of it from Mama. No, it’s better to face this head-on.”

“Spoken like a true veteran of the wars,” he said, chuckling, then he softly kissed her hair. “We’ll make love tonight, provided we’re not too tired. Perhaps Netherfield is the change of venue we need.”

She smiled a bit. “To be honest, I hope not – I don’t want us to have to visit Jane and Charles each time we want to get pregnant.”

“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.” The carriage stopped in front of Longbourn and Leland stepped out then helped Mary out.

She looked up at the house, candles in every window and an evergreen wreath on the door. Christmas had been at Holden Park with just her husband but her mother insisted that they greet the new year at Longbourn. She took Leland’s offered arm and walked with him into the house. Betsy took their hats and coats just before they were, in Mary’s opinion, ambushed by her mother.

“Oh, Mary! And Leland! We had quite given up on you both!” She kissed Mary’s cheek then Leland’s before leading the way to the parlor.

It was already full to bursting with her father, Lizzie, Fitzwilliam, and their two little girls, Georgiana, Kitty, Jane, Charles, and their young son. After exchanging greetings with everyone, Mary braced herself when her mother eyed her speculatively.

“Are we to receive a happy announcement, Mary?” she asked, lacking all subtlety.

“No, Mama,” she said quietly.

“Lizzie is expecting her third and Jane her second. You and Leland must be doing something wrong.”

“No, Mama,” she said again, her cheeks warm.

Lizzie, thankfully, took pity on her. “Here, Auntie Mary,” she said, grinning, as she unceremoniously held out her year-old daughter Anne Gardiner Darcy to her.

Anne held out her chubby arms to her and Mary’s heart melted. She gently took the baby, who immediately laid her head on Mary’s shoulder. Ignoring her mother’s endless questions, she took the baby closer to the fireplace and sat down in a chair.

Leland soon joined her, kneeling beside her chair as he smiled at her softly. “Motherhood agrees with you, my dear.”

She smiled back, murmuring, “Aunthood, Leland. I’m not a mother yet.”

“All in due time.” He softly kissed her hair and she fervently hoped they wouldn’t be too tired later that night.

* * *

The following New Year’s Eve, Lord and Lady Sheffield introduced their three-month-old son Thomas, Viscount Arnold, to his extended family.


End file.
